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Lutheran Men in MissionBuilding Men for ChristSpring 2022foundationsOur vision is for all men to become bold and daring followers of Jesus Christ.Stoic Doesn’t Mean StaticHow These Ancients Can Help Us Modern Guys Get ThroughBy Vic WilliamsWhen I was a little kid,six or seven years old,I’d sometimes park ona chair or sofa and sitthere, silent, for hours. My siblingsgot used to it and would just leaveme alone until I snapped out ofit. I suppose it was an early tip-offto my introverted nature, which Iinherited from my mom most ofall (who had inherited it from mypipe-smoking, nearly non-verbalgrandpa), though my dad had hisintrospective moments.IMAGES: WIKIMEDIA COMMONSAs I matured and continued to seekout “alone time” to think, observe,or just “be,” Mom surmised that Iwas “stoic,” at least according to thepopular, and woefully incomplete,definition that persists to this day.To most of us, “stoic” means quiet,removed, emotionless, even aloof.I was not and am not any of thosethings—if anything I’m more vocaland emotional the closer I get tobeing silenced forever, while stillseeking out those moments ofsilence to recalibrate my life anddiscern where to spend my increasingly precious stores of energy.The Stoic philosophies of(from top) statesman Seneca,Emperor Marcus Aurelius,and slave-turned-teacherEpictetus can help us be morethoughtful and caringfollowers of Jesus.1Perhaps I’m becoming an actual,real-live Stoic, or something likeone. Anyway, as I write this on AshWednesday, I’m wondering if more of usmodern guys could benefit from ancientwords of wisdom that I’ve recentlyfound myself getting into, 40 years aftergraduating college.Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022Stoicism is a school of philosophyfounded around 300 B.C. by a guynamed Zeno of Citium, but the threebest-known and most-quoted Stoics,all Romans—statesman Seneca,Emperor Marcus Aurelius, and slaveturned-teacher Epictetus—came muchlater, continuing to influence Westernthought well afterMen arethe New Testamentwas written in theinherentlydecades after Jesus’good, worthylife, death and resof love andurrection. Thoughendowed byagnostic in spiritualterms, Stocism’s chiefnature to bothtenet—which Britreceive andtanica.com describesgive it.as “the goal of allinquiry is to providea mode of conduct characterized bytranquility of mind and certainty ofmoral worth”—runs parallel with muchof Jesus’ teaching, with the codes forliving in faith put forth in Paul’s letters,and with the Christian ethic in general.To Stoics, “reason became the truemodel for human existence virtue isan inherent feature of the world, no lessinexorable in relation to humans thanare the laws of nature.”That’s highfalutin language for this:Men are inherently good, worthy of loveand endowed by nature to both receiveand give it, and by living in harmonywith nature through reason—and byliving in harmony with each other,Stoic, continued on page 3
From the Executive DirectorAn Exciting New Era For LMMAs I look back on the past year I am struck by how great and generous God has been toLutheran Men in Mission. He has blessed us to be able to continue the work he hascalled us to. Specifically, intentionally disciplining men to be bold daring followersof Jesus Christ!Additionally, LMM has been the beneficiary of an outpouring of prayer and generosity thatmoves me still. Along the journey we also have become more generous as an organization,seeking to provide resources and studies that will help transform men into the men JesusChrist is calling them to be, such as the weekly book and Bibles studies and the Men’s GroupLifelines Lessons—Faith-Based Roadmaps for Every Generation. Lifelines is the naturalfollow-up to the studies in the Master Builders Bible for Men that so many know and love.The foundations newsletter issent to all who contribute tothe ministry of Lutheran Menin Mission. Your contributionensures that foundations willcontinue to be sent to you.Our vision for foundations isthat it be a source of personalspiritual growth, as well as asource of information for thoseinvolved in congregationalmen’s ministries. Please contactus to share your stories ofmen’s ministry that we can usein future issues, or to let usknow what topics and issuesyou’re interested in seeingfeatured in foundations.Lutheran Men in Mission8765 W. Higgins RoadChicago, IL tJohn SundquistExecutive oug HaugenConsultantdoug@lutheranmeninmission.orgKevin BurkeDiscipling 11Kyle PedersenEmerging Ministries Consultantkyle@lutheranmeninmission.orgI believe that this change has, in part, come about thanks to the national board creating andimplementing a strategic plan with measurable key deliverables. Over the coming year I willhighlight different parts of this exciting effort. There are four parts in total to our “ReachBeyond” campaign: Reach Boldly, Reach More, Reach Wide, and Reach Generously. Recently,as I was reading Proverbs, I came across Proverbs 11:25: “A generous man will prosper; hewho refreshes others will himself be refreshed.” It truly summed up the past year and Ibelieve is prophetic of what is to come.Reach Generously: I think about what this means forLMM today and tomorrow. In the strategic plan, ReachGenerously focuses: On connection and being fully transparent with ourgiving partners as well as with men LMM reaches. In growing support for the great work LMM isengaged in today and looks to do tomorrow. In becoming a truly self-sufficient ministry with theability to grow and reach men in new and uniqueways.— Proverbs 11:25Reach Generously also means that LMM will continue to model generosity in our work—continuing to bring new free and affordable resources to men, families, and congregations acrossthe country. Later this year we will, through ProjectTwelve.net, release a second series ofLifelines Lessons that, as with the first set, will be written by many of the men who were partof writing the Master Builders Bible studies as well as new friends. LMM will continue to seekways to make it possible for more men to attend a One Year to Live retreat, to participate in aBold Gathering and to join with men across the country in weekly book and Bible studies.Together, with your prayers and support, we can fulfill the mission of Lutheran Men inMission: by God’s grace, to intentionally disciple men by personally modeling the characterof Jesus by living and leading a lifestyle intended to help transform them from having aninward focus to a culture of naturally loving and serving their neighbors—and helping thosemen to transform their families, churches, and communities, all in the name of Jesus Christ.In the power of the Spirit,God bless!John Sundquist, Executive Director, Lutheran Men in Missionjohn@lutheranmeninmission.orgVic Williamsfoundations editor/writerKathryn Hillert Brewerfoundations designer2“A generous manwill prosper; hewho refreshesothers will himselfbe refreshed.”Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022John.Sundquist@elca.org
Stoic , continuedfrom page 1and interactingvirtuously withthe world atlarge—we will findhappiness.Fearless, reasoned,loving community: What’s moreChristian than that?If a bunch of us guys gottogether over a firepitor a beer and the Stoicssomehow came up,I’m confident we’d prettymuch agree that their fourvirtues match our bedrockChristian virtues,the very ideals we seekwith added intensity andcare during Lent.Not to say that in its focus on thematerial, observable universe,Stoicism doesn’t conflict in someways with our Christian belief insalvation by grace freely given by amerciful and loving God, throughfaith. Faith is beyond and abovethe Stoic bedrock of reason andlogic; to them, all “salvation” comesvia self-control, all enlightenmentvia an approach to daily life thatfinds its most familiar refrain inAmerican theologian (and studentof Stoicism) Reinhold Niebuhr’sSerenity Prayer:God, grant me the Serenityto accept the things I cannot change,Courage to change the things I can,And Wisdom to know the difference.Indeed, Stoics don’t fully denythe existence of God. Rather theyacknowledge a being, as in “nature,”that bestows order on the universe —a precedent to the AmericanFounders’ “deist” philosophy—while stopping short of imbuingthat being with any supernaturalpowers or the need or ability tomanifest itself in human form orinteract with humans at all. Christianity, of course, adds the divinedimension, bringing God to earththrough Jesus, who suffers physicaldeath and is resurrected to forgive3Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022our sins and giveus eternal life.Christian writerLouis Markoszeroes in on thisfundamentaldifference in hisarticle “Why IWould Become AStoic”:“Both the Stoic and the Christianlook inward; however, while theformer finds only an impersonalinner light to guide him, the latterfinds the Holy Spirit of Godindwelling him.”So that’s a big difference. ButStoicism and Christianity intersectin many other ways that onlystrengthen and deepen in thesubdued and quiet light of Lent,when we believers embark on ourannual journey toward the Cross,stripping away, as best we can, theearthly trappings and worries thatseparate us from God.In fact, if a bunch of us guys gottogether over a firepit or a beer andthe Stoics somehow came up, I’mconfident we’d pretty much agreethat their four virtues—Wisdom,Courage, Temperance, and Justice—match our bedrock Christianvirtues, the very ideals we seek withadded intensity and care duringLent, and aspire to every day as wedeal with modern life’s pressures,challenges, disappointments andtriumphs.Let’s go through them one at a time,through the words of the Stoicsthemselves via www.dailystoic.com.WISDOM“The chief task in life is simplythis: to identify and separatematters so that I can say clearlyto myself which are externalsnot under my control, and whichhave to do with the choices Iactually control. Where then doI look for good and evil? Not touncontrollable externals, butwithin myself to the choices thatare my own.”— Epictetus, EncheiridionTranslation: Figure out what isgood, what is evil, what is neither,and how we react. That’s wherewisdom lives, and what leads usto virtuous action, to give our bestselves to the world – and receive thegood of the world in return.TEMPERANCE“‘If you seek tranquility, doless.’ Or (more accurately) dowhat’s essential—what the logos[community] of a social beingrequires, and in the requisite way.Which brings a double satisfaction: to do less, better. Becausemost of what we say and do is notessential. If you can eliminate it,you’ll have more time, and moretranquility. Ask yourself at everymoment, ‘Is this necessary?’”— Marcus Aurelius,Meditations, 4.24Translation: Simplify. Figure outwhat’s important, what matters,don’t worry so much about materialgoods, or accumulating wealth, orgoing to extremes to get what youthink you need or deserve. Take abreath. Don’t get angry or anxious.Stoic, continued on page 4
[The Stoics] ask us to free ourselves from theearthly bonds of distraction and empty yearning.They invite us to seek serenity, and thereforehappiness, even as we struggle with relentless badnews JUSTICE“And a commitment to justicein your own acts. Which means:thought and action resulting inthe common good. What youwere born to do.”— Marcus Aurelius, MeditationsStoic , continued from page 3It brings to mind Jesus’ Sermon onthe Mount, doesn’t it? EspeciallyMatthew 6:25-33:“Do not be anxious about yourlife, what you will eat or whatyou will drink, nor about yourbody, what you will put on. Isnot life more than food, andthe body more than clothing? And which of you by beinganxious can add a single hourto his span of life? Therefore donot be anxious, saying ‘Whatshall we eat?’ or ‘What shall wedrink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Your heavenly Father knowsyou need them all. But seek firstthe kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these thingswill be added to you.”4Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022COURAGE“Don’t you know life is like a military campaign? One must serveon watch, another in reconnaissance, another on the front line. So it is for us—each person’slife is a kind of battle, and a longand varied one too. You mustkeep watch like a soldier anddo everything commanded. You have been stationed in a keypost, not some lowly place, andnot for a short time but for life.”— Epictetus, DiscoursesTranslation: Stay strong, keep thefaith, hold to your best selves evenin the face of external corruption,fear and temptation. Be there foryour friends, your family, yourcommunity, always. Be your ownman, with God-given wisdom asyour guide.Translation: The three othervirtues feed into this one. Take yourwisdom, temperance and courageand do good in the world with fairness, generosity and respect for all.Leave selfishness by the side of theroad. Share your innate goodnesswith friend and stranger alike.Golden Rule, anyone? To me the Stoics strike a chord ofageless truth. They’re not aboutbeing aloof, or emotionless, orabove the fray. Quite the contrary.They ask us to free ourselves fromthe earthly bonds of distractionand empty yearning. They inviteus to seek serenity, and thereforehappiness, even as we struggle withrelentless bad news, fraught socialmedia, incendiary politics, personalwoes, petty worries—and onceagain wander through the wilderness of Lent with little more thanour faith in God, and love for ourfellow man, to carry us forward.
We Thank Our 2021 Donors!The board and staff at Lutheran Men in Mission give our heartfulthanks for the generous financial, prayerful time and talentsupport that so many of you have given to help further ourministry for men, their families and their congregations.Foreman 20,000 Developmental Foundationfor Small Group MinistriesJeff KuchenbeckerLeRoy Simonson EstateSenior Tradesman 5,000-9,999Hal DerrickDoug HaugenArchie TrawickRich WhiteTradesman 2,5004,999John FisherNC Lutheran Men in MissionHeber RastMaster Craftsman 1,000-2,499Kevin BurkeLon and Debbie BussSteven CauleyPhilip DigiovanniFirst Lutheran ChurchJames GerkingBob HuhnDaniel KautzErik and Marcia KjesbuFrank KretschmerJeff and Judy MasonLarry MoellerDale NettninMargaret Ogden-HoweKyle PedersenSC Lutheran Men in MissionNorm and Kathie SmithJohn SundquistJay Wenger5Craftsman 500-999Wayne CaughmanAugusta CosichRandy DahlingerJenny DemuthEdwin EarglePaul JohnsonMark JuhlJames LiberdaMelvin J. Rittner DonorAdvisor FundJoseph and CatherinePopelkaGyles RandallGeorge ReeseEsther and Norm SaetreMarlene SamuelsonBill SchleichertJames SmithTom SmithSt Pauls Lutheran Men inMissionDavid SteeleHans TeichTerrell WestSupporter 100-499Maurice AbensJason AdamsEric AllenMads AndenasFloyd AndersonAugsburg Lutheran Church- LMMVictor and MarianBaderschneiderLarry and Rebecca BakerDavid BeamRalph BerglundKerry BlankeJoseph BoozerRandell BratsvenBernie BressonDave BrewtonDouglas BrownLawrence CambergRob and Sherry CarrothersJoby CastineRaymond CaughmanRoger ChristensenWilliam ChristmasLawrence ClarkLutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022Steve CraneAntoine CumminsRay DietrichMichelle DixChuck DubeEric EcklundTerry EdwardsLarry EricksonRobert EskridgeJonathan EsslingerDuane EvensonPeter EwersWilliam FoosJim FunfarRoger GlaesWalter GoodmanAllen GouldStephan GramsErik GronbergBob GrosseCurtis HansonRoger HattebergKen HeckelRaymond HeilenerHerb HergottAntonio HernandezJason HerrmannPete HinrichLarry HinrichsHenry HoweDouglas JacobsDavid KeckGeorge KegleyKent Lutheran ChurchWayne KnudtsonCliff KoehlerJohn KrahnBruce KruegerJay KulpSteve LaineCurt LarsonCharles LeachLord of Love LutheranChurch - LMMRobin LovelyMark LubbockAlton and Alice LuedkeDouglas LyonsRobert MangerSteve MarshallCharles MerrothRalph MeyerArthur MoelleringJoseph and Elaine MolnarDavid MorelandGeorge MoretzGary MorrisJan NelsonDave NewmanRoger NewtonJohn NilsenJason NordlingAugusta NygardRobert OstgulenRobert PardoeJ Scott PenrodHarry PetersonPisgah Lutheran ChurchLMMTodd PoljacikDavid ProctorSteven RafothJames and Mary Jo RatheCherie RehnblomRichard ReinholtzKen ReinoehlResurrection LutheranChurchKen RingRobert RothenDuane SchaferJim SchiebleMarvin SchinnererBill SchirmerGlen SchmidtRichard SchneiderWarren ScholtenHerbert SchumannRichard SchwebkeDonald ShaubJoshua ShawSouth Central Synod-WILMM Task ForceMark SpademanSt Andrew Lutheran ChurchSt John Lutheran Church Men in MissionSt Paul Lutheran ChurchThomas StoffregenAlan StrohscheinRussell TeschJeffrey ThompsonWilliam TietgensLynette ToddAugust WaltmannJake WeilandVic WilliamsTom WilsonJohn WolfKeith ZehLarry Ziemer
From the PresidentWhat Defines Who We Are?Our Core ValuesEvery individual and organization have a set of core values that define just who they are.This is especially true for us followers and believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. The sameis true for our ministry at Lutheran Men in Mission. Being led by the Spirit and bathedin prayer, we have taken a deep look at ourselves to define and publicly express the values that make usLutheran Men in Mission. We continue to live into these values so the vision and mission for our ministry isalive today and will continue into the future.Being led by the Spiritand bathed in prayer, wehave taken a deep lookat ourselves to define andpublicly express the valuesthat make us LutheranMen in Mission.What are the core values that make us Lutheran Men in Mission?Our values are embodied in all of our actions, relationships, andministries. Simply stated, this defines how we will behave. Our statedvalues have been around since LMM was started over 30 years ago, butwe (our current Board) have just recently documented these values inour strategic plan and vision so that everyone will know just who weare. LMM has four core values that define our ministry and guide ouractions. First, we are a ministry that is led by the Spirit and carriesout all of our actions in a Christ-like manner. Prayer coupled withpersonally modelling our individual lives in the character of Jesus isthe way we live in this core value.Secondly, our next value is to intentionally disciple men. We have developed and promote ministries thatfocus on discipleship. Led by our unique and life-changing One Year to Live retreats, we encourage men towork in small groups that foster a true Christian brotherhood with each other. We hold and promote BoldGatherings as a way to disciple men through both a personal contact and/or a virtual environment. Our ProjectTwelve ministry is a fully virtual presence that fosters discipleship across generational, racial and geographiclines.Our third core value is to love and serve our neighbors. We understand who our neighbor is as defined byJesus. LMM strives to be the hands and feet of Jesus in providing events and resources for men, their familiesand congregations across the entire country. We ask men and their congregations at the local level to use andshare the resources we provide. Key resources provided by LMM are the Master Builders Bible, Man Talk Cards,the I-Go Model, Lifeline studies, our One Year to Live retreats and Bold Gatherings. Please prayerfully considerbeing part of our upcoming National Bold Gathering that will be held on October 7-9, 2022 at the Carol JoyHolling Retreat and Conference Center in Ashland, NE to help us show how we love and serve our neighbor.Finally, our fourth core value is to encourage relationships among men and small groups that are bothcollaborative and collegial. Just as Jesus formed a small group of the 12 disciples, we follow his model to beopen, honest and supportive of each other in our small groups. We employ innovative communications andtechnology to support and encourage each other as we are spread across the entire nation and in recognitionof the current health and safety needs caused by this Covid crisis. We foster strong and productive bonds withour fellow board members, our One Year to Live leaders, our LMM Ambassadors and men’s leaders in otherChristian denominations.I look forward to being a full partner with you as our ministry continues to live in these core values and as weReach Beyond in 2022 to go wherever God leads. We will always ask for your prayers, your participation andyour financial support in reaching more men, their families and congregations.Your Brother in Christ,Hal DerrickPresident, Lutheran Men in n Men in Mission OnlineYou can find us online at our website lutheranmeninmission.org, or on:and6Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022the Reaching Men blog at reachingmen.blogspot.com
LMM Says Goodbye to Norm SmithFormer Lutheran Men in Mission President NormSmith passed away on February 6, 2022 after along battle with multiple health issues. Normwas President of LMM from 2008-2011 andwas instrumental in the adoption and developmentof the One Year to Live (OYTL) retreat as a mainstayof LMM’s ministry outreach. This retreat has beenlife-changing to many if not most of the almost 2000attendees.“One of the first things I wantedto see was a men’s retreat. Ofcourse, [former LMM ExecutiveDirector Doug Haugen] wasexcited about that. So Doug andI went to Colorado and workedwith Lyman Coleman and someof his people. It was not a snap, but we got it done.Those were exciting times.Norm attended LMM’s constituting convention in 1988in Seguin TX and ultimately attended all the LMMNational Gatherings from 1990 to 2017. He becameactive in national LMM leadership serving as Vice-President from 2002-2008 and then as President during2008-2011.“We had opposition at times,and difficulties—especiallywhen we became separate fromthe church. We did a lot ofpushing, and we were lucky—wefound people who really wantedto see us succeed, and that madeall the difference.”In a 2020 interview for Foundations, Norm recountedhis life as a Lutheran and his history with men’sministry.“I became a Lutheran about 1951. As for men’s ministry, I looked for it in the Navy and didn’t find any.I got out and got into it in Des Moines, Iowa, with aCatholic-based organization, but I wanted to do moreLutheran things. I transferred to Omaha and metsome old friends who were Lutherans, and they hadalready talked about getting something set up inTexas, at their next meeting. I missed it; I went backto Brazil, then came to Denver, and then to KansasCity.“[LMM board member] Rich White and I went to Wisconsin, and from then he and I have worked togetheron LMM. He had been in New Jersey for five years,and we decided we’d start a“I went out, kicking men’s ministry organizationthe bushes looking at Good Shepherd Church infor people to join, in Somerville. Rich took thatover and I went out, kickingdifferent churchesthe bushes looking for peoplein the area.”to join, in different churchesin the area, and down southalso. I stayed there five years, and I came back to Denverfor three years, then came to the Kansas City area.“There was an organization that claimed they wereLutheran Men in Mission, but they never made it work,so Rich and I made it so it was really men’s ministry,and that was at Good Shepherd. There were otherchurches in the synod in Jersey that we worked with, butmost of that happened after I came back to Denver.7Lutheran Men in Mission Spring 2022“We found peoplewho really wantedto see us succeed,and that made allthe difference.”He will be remembered for his dedication to men’sministry, devotion to Bible study and his inspiringPresident’s Column of the Foundations newsletter.Our thoughts and prayers are with his wifeKathie and their two sons.UPCOMINGLMMEVENTS&programs2022 One Year To Live RetreatsApril 22-24, 2022Camp Santa MariaGrant, COApril 29-May 1, 2022Camp CherokeeBlacksburg, SCSeptember 2-4, 2022Del Ray Beach, FLSeptember 23-25, 2022Poynette, WIOctober 21-23, 2022Camp ChrysalisKerrville, TXNovember 11-13, 2022Camp EwaluStrawberry Point, IAVisit ve/ for information
foundationsLutheran Men in MissionEvangelical Lutheran Church in America8765 West Higgins RoadChicago, IL heran Men in Mission Spring 2022A link for the worship will be available soon
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 4.24 Translation: Simplify. Figure out what's important, what matters, don't worry so much about material goods, or accumulating wealth, or going to extremes to get what you think you need or deserve. Take a breath. Don't get angry or anxious. Stoic, continued from page 1 Stoic, continued on page 4
